Aircraft propeller



May 8, 1945. J. R. RocHE ETAL VAIRCRAFT PROPELLER Filed ,July 18, 194

M n H m 3 VF M 0 1 m H n Wuhnww/nrzwwwwwww 0 @u .A (Qi. 2 s. m. v d M Patented May 8, 1945 vifiiitcnluri PROPELLER .lean Ren Roch, Dayton, lOhio, and Felix A.

Roch, Hampton, Va. v

Application July 18, 1942, Serial No. 451,418

`2 Claims. (Cl. 170--173) This invention relates to improvements in propellers for use on aircraft and thelike, andY is particularly directed to novel means 'for adapting wood or plastic propeller blades, or propeller blades made of other suitable materials for use in connection with variable pitch control mechanisms. y

-It is a wellrknown fact thatr wood or plastic propeller blades for use on aircraft fhavemany 'advantages over metal blades. For example, such blades are produced with a minimum of machinery. and skilled labor, and materials for such -blades are very abundant and easilyfobtainable, andfurthermore, such materials do not require long and expensive processes of manufacture.

Moreover, propeller blades made of wood or plastic materials are not as subject tofatigue failure and excessive vibration tendencies as are metal blades, and furthermore, such blades being much lighter in weightthan metal blades, rdo not have the excessive centrifugal and gyroscopic tendencies of metal blades, and therefore, permit the use of more compact and simpler pitchcontrol mechanisms, very important factors in the design of efficient aircraft.

Likewise, in the case of large diameter vpropellers, non-metal again proves superior to metal as its lightness eliminates excessive fly-wheel and gyroscopic tendencies and makes possible the construction of an aircraft of superior ability to maneuver quickly and one that responds readily to the controls, both of whichare very important factors in the design of fighting aircraft.

Another distinct advantage of wood or plastic propeller blades over metal is that their strength in tension together with their great internal friction have a damping eiiect on vibration and electively overcome the transfer of vibrations from the aircraft engine tothe propeller, a characteristic which is so inherent in metal propeller blades. l

In the past, wood and plastic blades, with their many advantages, have not been successfully adapted to use in connection with pitch control mechanismsbecause no successful wayhas been found to connect the wood or plastic blades to the metal hubs or ferrules of the pitch control mechanisms, and it is the main-object of this invention to provide new and novel means for securing ,I

wood or plastic propeller blades to the metal ferrules and hubs of variable pitchfcontrol mechanisms. l g

Another object of the present invention is the provision-of new and novel means for adapting 55 'wood or plastic propeller blades for use in con.-

trollable pitch hubs. y Y

Still another object is to supply eicient and economicalmeans' for securing-wood or plastic propeller blades inthe metal ferrules yof pitch control mechanisms.

A further object is to provide means, including a metal sleeve with internal and external threads adapted to be'threaded into a cylindrical groove in a wood or plastic propeller blade for said blade to a pitchcontrol -mech-` connecting anism. f l

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention includes certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in appended claims, and a preferred form or embodimentof which is hereinafter described with vreference to the drawing which accompanies and -forms a part of this specification.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional viewof one form of4 the present invention, showing the method of securing the shank of a wood or plastic propeller blade in the metal ferrule of a pitch control mechanism. Y

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 ofFig. l, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, showin-g in particular the manner in which the retaining sleeve is threaded intothe cylindrical groove formed in the shank portion 'of the blade. I

l Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing in detail the bladeretaining memberv or sleeve.

Fig. 4 is `across-sectional View of of another form of the invention, iny which an enlarged retaining sleeve takes the place of the metal ferrule shown in Fig.r l and is used in its place to connect the propeller blade to rthe lpitch control mechanism.

Description y i The present invention is shown and will be denism, said ferrule I I having threaded on the outside thereof a retaining ring I2, which'is `held portion .of the propeller: blade I0. y noted that the cylindrical groove I1 forms a tenori l 20 and the lower face of the ferrule I I.

against'displacement bypins I3, and which in oo operation with aball bearing of the thrust type (not shown) rotatably mounts the ferrule I I in the hub of a suitablerpitch control mechanism, not

shown but well known in the art, Prior to threading the'tenon of the propeller blade ID into the ferrule I I, both the blade and the ferrule are coat- Afterthe sleeve member I4 has been properly .threaded into the cylindrical groove I 1 in the shank of the blade I so that the head 20 firmly engages the lower endr of the ferrule II, as explained above, a hole is drilled through the entire assembly anda securing pin 23 is driven into said ed with a suitable type of thermo-setting cement, ,y

which may afterward be set by any suitable means,

- such as the 'use of ultra high rfrequency radiov Waves.

After theshank of the propeller blade has been, threaded into the ferrule II, in the manner explained above, a sleeve-like retaining member, I4n

(Figs. 1, 2 and 3) having suitable threads l5 and hole and riveted over oneaChend, as shown in Fig. 1`,'to further assist in securing the parts against displacement. y

f. Afinodii-led form of the invention is disclosed in Fig.` 4, in' ywhich reference numeral 25 represents the lower end of a. laminated wood blade having a cylindrical groove 26 formed by any satisfactory method', in the lower end thereof, which groove I6 of identical pitch in the internalv circumference r and on the external circumference thereof is threaded under suitable pressure into aV cyliridrical or. ring-shaped groove I'I formed by'the'use of a suitable cutting tool in the center of the shank It will., be

I8,;whichfis engaged by the internal thread: I5 in theboring of the retaining. sleeve I4 at the same time the external thread I6 threads into the external wall of said cylindrical groove I'I.

If desired,internal and external threads to match the threads on the member I4, may be cut in the cylindrical groove II before the retaining 'sleevey I4- is threaded therein. However, another andprobably just vas satisfactory method ofV assembling themember I4 in the cylindrical groove II, is to machine serrations in' the threads I 5 land forms a tenen v2'I. The cylindrical groove 26 is adapted to Vreceive a sleeve 28 having internal threads29 and external threads 3'of identical 1 pitch, said threads adapted to be threaded, respectively, into the internal and external-wallsv of the cylindrical groove 26 in exactly the same manner as described in connection with the retaining member' I 4, lshown in Fig.

1, 2 and 3, and described above- As in the preferred form, thethreads 23 and 36 y may be threaded intoA pre-formed threads in the cylindrical groove. 26 or said threads may be serrated soas to form cuttingteeth, and in this manner caused to cut their own threads inthe cylindrical groove 26, when said sleeve 28is turned thereingk v Beforethe sleeve 28 is threaded into the'cylin- 'drical groove 26, a groove formed in the lower periphery of the blade 25 isv filled with tightly I6, so as toform-suitable cuttingV edges andsuitable-recesses for accumulating chips, so that-said memberI4`will cut its ownthreads in the cylindrical groove Il as it is turned therein by means of a Spanner wrench and properly spaced Spanner wrench holes I 9 in a head portion 20 of the member I4. v

to'` the .cylindricalg'roove I'I, said grooveis filled 'With-a-suitable type ofthermo-setting cement,

which', after said member I4 is securely' threaded therein, may be set by the use of any suitable means, such as ultra high frequency radio waves;-

Itwill bevnoted by referring to Figs. land 3 that the internal and external' threads I5an-d I6 are shapedand spaced so as to provide maximum strength and holding ability without injuring an excessive number of active fibres in the shank portion of the blade I0. y .i

The head portion 20- ofthe sleeve-like member l .40 Before the retaining member I4 is'threaded in- I4'is` of substantially the-same diameter asthe outside of the ferrule I I, and said headfis conicalshaped so as to provide maximum strength to withstand the extreme pressure when the inside' face of saidhead isscrewed tightly againstthe lower` face. of the ferrule I'I.

By referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that clearance is provided at 2jI between the inside face of 'the head 20 and the lowerendof the. shank of the propeller. blade ID so as to secure a desirabley pre- Aloading effect between the member I4 and the ferrule, I'I', when the head. 20 of said member I4 is screwed tightly against the lower face of said fer- A sealingring 22 (Fig. `1) of some suitable material, is'inserted in matching annular grooves in v the lower face of theferrule II and the head 20 of thesleeve I 4, to seal the lower end-of 'the shank portion of the blade'I 0- against moisture.l

, rule II.. Instead of theclearance at 2|, another satisfactory method of preloading -would be tov force wedges between the inner face of the, head f y y and remain so, in the rgroove 26.

woundwire wrapping 3'I (Fig. 4') f or a suitable metal band is inserted therein to reinforce the lower end of said .blade `to prevent splitting, and to insure that lthe threads 29 and 30 t tightly Prior to threading the' sleeve 28 into the groove 26, saidgrooveis filled with 'some suitable'thermosetting .cement which, after said sleeve is properly v vthreaded into said groove,may be set in exactly the same manner as described in connection with the'preferred form.

`In` the modified form (Fig. 4) desirablepreloadingy may be obtained by screwing'the upper end' of thesleeve 26A tightly against the bottom ofthefcylindricalfgroove26. `After the sleeve 28 has been properly assembledin ythe groove 26, saidl rsleeve may be further -secured against displacement by means of a pin or a bolt r32 secured in'ahole which passes through/theblade 25, the v .sleeve 28, and the tenen 2'1.

Thev lower endV of the sleeve 28 `(Fig. 4), lis

threaded to` receive mating threads on'a retaining ring 33 secured against displacement by means of one ormorepins 34 driven-in holes which equallyv transverse the periphery of the sleeve 28. and the ring 33. The retaining ring. 33 also retainsl aball thrust bearing 35,v which tssnugly in the bore of the. sleeve 28, inproper relationship to a nut 36 threaded on vrthe upper` end `of an axle A:TL-which `rotatably supports the blade 25 Vmetal ferrule Il reduces substantiallythe overall metal retaining member having a sleeve-like tu- 'bular portion vand an enlarged head of substantially .the same outsidediameter as the ferrule; threads of identical pitch formed in the internal and external circumferences of the tubular portion, said threads engageable with the corresponding matching threads in the cylindrical groove so l that said tubular portion may be threaded into tion with laminated wooden propeller blades. l

However, it is not the desire to limit the invention to such use as it may be used equally as well in connection with plastic or other types of molded non-metal propeller` blades without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

While the forms of mechanisms herein shown and described are admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, .it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the forms or embodiments herein disclosed for it is susceptibleof embodiments in various other,

forms, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow:

What is claimed is: i 1. A non-metallic propeller blade comprising, in combination, a round shank portion with threads formed thereon; a metal ferrule having internal threads engaged by the threads on the shank to securely connect said parts; a cylindrical groove in the shank portion, said groove having threads of identical pitch formed in the said cylindricalv groove until the enlarged head firmly engages the lower edge of the ferrule, to assist said ferrule in absorbing the outward thrust load of the bladeyand means to secure the ferrule, the blade, and the retaining member against relative rotation.

2. A mounting `for a non-metallic propeller blade comprising in combination a metal internally 'threaded ferrule for vengaging similar ex' 'ternal threads on the shank portion of the blade; a cylindrical groove formed in the shank portion, said groove forming a tenon; a metal retaining f member having a sleeve-like tubular portion and an enlarged head portion, said head portion substantially the same outside diameter as the ferrule; threads of identicalpitchformed on the iny ternal and external circumferences of the tubular portion of the member for simultaneously threading onto the tenon and into the outer wall of.'v

the cylindrical groove until the enlarged head portion of the member rmly engages the lower edge Vof the ferrule," to assist said ferrule in absorbing the thrust load of the blade; and'means to seinternal and external circumferences thereof; a

cure the ferrule, the blade, and the member against relative rotation.

JEAN REN ROCH.

FELIX A. ROCH'. 

